Method and apparatus for conducting electronic commerce transactions using electronic tokens

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for conducting electronic commerce using electronic tokens are described. The electronic tokens are issued and maintained by a vendor, who also provides products and services that can be purchased or rented using the electronic tokens. The electronic tokens may be purchased from the vendor either on-line, using a credit card, or off-line, using a check, money order, purchase order, or other payment means. Because the vendor is the issuer of the electronic tokens, there is no need for transactions to be handled by a third party, such as a bank or other organization. This reduces the overhead involved in conducting electronic commerce, and provides the vendor with a greater amount of control. Additionally, the vendor maintains total control over the price of the electronic tokens at any time. For vendors who offer software products for sale or rental, use of electronic tokens makes a variety of rental arrangements practical, including rental for short periods of time, for a specific number of uses, or for a specific number of processing.

1 . A method for conducting electronic commerce comprising:
 issuing a plurality of electronic tokens of first and second types from a mall service provider server, the electronic tokens adapted for use in electronic transactions for purchase or rental of products or services from a plurality of other web servers associated with a plurality of vendors, wherein some of the plurality of vendors list prices for products and services in units of second type of electronic tokens;   maintaining a first database in the mall service provider server, the first database including account information for the first web server;   maintaining a second database in the mall service provider server comprising records of electronic transactions involving use of the first type of electronic tokens at the web servers of vendors that list prices in units of the second type of electronic tokens; and   for electronic transactions conducted at one of the web server of a vendor that list prices in units of electronic tokens of the second type, transferring compensation from the first web server to the vendor in an amount equal to the value of the electronic tokens of the second type.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the plurality of electronic tokens are issued to a first web server, and   a plurality of users are registered with the first web server, each user having an account to which a subset of the plurality of electronic tokens are allotted.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the first database further includes account information for each one of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the subset of the plurality of tokens allotted to each one of the plurality of users is based upon purchase of electronic tokens at a predetermined rate of exchange by web servers. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the subset of the plurality of tokens allotted to each one of the plurality of users is provided as an incentive to reward customer loyalty. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein issuing electronic tokens from the mall service provider server to the first web server further comprises issuing manufacturer's tokens adapted for use at only predetermined ones of the plurality of other web servers. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein issuing a plurality of electronic tokens from the mall service provider server further comprises issuing gift certificate tokens to a first web server. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein issuing a plurality of electronic tokens from the mall service provider server further comprises issuing a plurality of electronic tokens adapted for use in electronic transactions involving competitive bidding for products or services. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein issuing a plurality of electronic tokens from the mall service provider server further comprises issuing a first group of the electronic tokens to a vendor server that oversees electronic transactions using the first group of the electronic tokens through point of sale terminals. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising recording a royalty transaction in the account information for web servers at which electronic transactions using the electronic tokens are conducted. 
     
     
         11 . A server operated by a mall service provider comprising:
 a network interface through which the server communicates a plurality of other web servers;   a database;   a memory;   a processor that executes software stored in the memory, the software including one or more programmed routines, the programmed routines comprising:   a routine for issuing a plurality of electronic tokens of first and second types from the mall service provider server to a first one of the plurality of web servers, the electronic tokens adapted for use in electronic transactions for purchase or rental of products or services from the plurality of other web servers associated with the mall service provider, wherein at least one of the other web servers denominate the products and services in units of the second type of electronic tokens;   a first database routine for updating records relating to the electronic tokens issued to the first web server;   a second database routine for updating records of electronic transactions involving use of the first type of electronic tokens at the at least one of the other web server; and   a routine for transferring compensation from the first web server to the at least one of the other web servers in an amount equal to the value of the electronic tokens of the second type.   
     
     
         12 . The server of  claim 11  wherein a plurality of users are registered with the first web server, each user having an account to which a subset of the plurality of electronic tokens are allotted. 
     
     
         13 . The server of  claim 12  wherein the first database routine further comprises updating account information for each one of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         14 . The server of  claim 12  wherein the subset of the plurality of tokens allotted to each one of the plurality of users is based upon purchase of electronic tokens at a predetermined rate of exchange. 
     
     
         15 . The server of  claim 12  wherein the subset of the plurality of tokens allotted to each one of the plurality of users is provided as an incentive to reward customer loyalty. 
     
     
         16 . The server of  claim 11  wherein the routine for issuing the plurality of electronic tokens further comprises issuing manufacturer's tokens adapted for use at only to purchase or rent the manufacturer's products and services. 
     
     
         17 . The server of  claim 11  the routine for issuing the plurality of electronic tokens further comprises issuing gift certificate tokens to the first web server. 
     
     
         18 . The server of  claim 11  the routine for issuing the plurality of electronic tokens further comprises issuing a plurality of electronic tokens adapted for use in electronic transactions involving competitive bidding for products or services. 
     
     
         19 . The server of  claim 11  wherein the routine for issuing the plurality of electronic tokens further comprises issuing a first group of the electronic tokens to a vendor server that oversees electronic transactions using the first group of the electronic tokens through point of sale terminals. 
     
     
         20 . The server of  claim 11  further comprising a routine for recording a royalty transaction for each electronic transaction conducted at web servers using the electronic tokens.